In such a device, known from German Published patent application DE-AS No. 21 40 063, for the control of a flat-bed knitting machine, the pulse generator board device either has a toothed comb board or a hole board with two rows of holes disposed on top of each other, which enter an air gap of the pulse generator equipped with one or, respectively, two simple magnetoresistors arranged on top of each other. The gauge of the teeth or the gauge of the recesses or holes corresponds to the needle gauge in the needle bed. Because of the offset arrangement of the two rows of holes, pulse sequences which are phase-shifted with respect to each other can be generated. In each case a control pulse or control signal is generated during each change of the magnetic flow, i.e. in accordance with the tooth or, respectively, hole gauge and thereby the needle gauge.
In the needle selection so far made, for example with the aid of magnetically-actuable jacks, the control time can be relatively long, because these jacks are disposed in several rows offset against each other and therefore can be selected far in advance of the subsequent mechanical actuation of the respective needles. For this reason a changing or changed carriage speed is of no consequence. Additionally, in connection with the known flat-bed knitting machines work is performed across the entire width of the needle bed and a stop face change is performed mechanically during the lift reversal of the carriage, pre-setting or determining the direction of travel of the several elements. Therefore a known device for the control of a flat-bed knitting machine is not required to perform a determination of the lift direction. Furthermore, since as mentioned above, the tooth or, respectively, hole boards are adapted with respect to their gauge to the needle gauge, it is necessary to manufacture tooth or, respectively, hole boards corresponding to each needle gauge which is costly in the manufacturing sense. Later developments in flat-bed knitting machines, however, are directed to the ability to perform the lift reversal of the carriage at any place along the length of the needle beds. Furthermore, in newer selection systems which, for example, provide, maintain and, at the time of selection, either magnetically continue to maintain or discard all needles, control must take place within shorter time intervals, not in the least because of higher carriage speeds.